Soccer: Smarting Fiji likely to carry extra passion

Cameron Howieson (NZ) leaps over Vanuatu's goal keeper Selonie Iaruel. Photo / Natalie Slade

Papua New Guinea 2 Fiji 1

New Zealand can expect something of a backlash when they play Fiji in tomorrow's early game at the Oceania Under-17 Championship at North Harbour Stadium.

Seen as the team most likely to challenge the Young All Whites for group A honours, the Fijians were stung 2-1 by Papua New Guinea in the early round two game yesterday.

It was a game that threatened to boil over when a player from each side was sent off following a melee late in the first half after PNG had fought back to 1-1 in the 35th minute with a goal from captain Alwin Komolong. Al-Taaf Sahib had earlier landed a spectacular long-range effort to give Fiji their 22nd minute lead.

Jacob Sabua, one of the two players booked, grabbed the winner seven minutes into the second half with another stunning long-range effort before he was stretchered off in the 72nd minute.

There was no such drama in the late game as the home side clinically raced to a 4-0 halftime lead before going on to beat Vanuatu 5-1.

Comfortably in control at the break, New Zealand conceded a sloppy goal three minutes into the second half but soon settled and were under little pressure.

Given a dream start when Ken Yamamoto scored in the opening two minutes and 2-0 ahead in the 15th when Billy Tuiloma scored, the home side continued to dominate.

Tim Payne added a third midway through the spell and Jordan Vale completed the first-half blitz.

After conceding that early second-half goal, the home team had the last say when Cameron Howieson started and finished the move involving substitute Ryan Howlett and Yamamoto.

"The hard part when you have such a lead is maintaining the consistency," said New Zealand coach Steve Cain. "It is always disappointing to give up goals especially a sloppy one but we came back from that very well.

"The players now realise how dangerous teams like this can be."

Four of the five teams in the group are locked on three points with New Zealand having a game in hand. If PNG beat American Samoa in tomorrow's late game, they could become New Zealand's biggest threat.

In today's group B action Tahiti play the Solomon Islands (1.30pm) and New Caledonia meet the Cook Islands (4pm).